Sentencing set for Aug. 27 in 2010 shooting

WICHITA — A Wichita man will be sentenced Aug. 27 for a murder that witnesses say was revenge for the death of his brother.

James Vell Holloman, 32, pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree murder in the December 2010 shooting death of Stephen Smallwood outside Perfection Auto shop.

During testimony in October, witnesses said Smallwood, 41, was shot because Holloman thought he was involved in the killing of Holloman’s brother, Sammy Smith, in 2009. Holloman was arrested after Smallwood’s death but was released for lack of evidence.

The Wichita Eagle reports (http://bit.ly/1nz7Qug) Holloman was transferred in August to Sedgwick County from a federal prison in Louisiana, where was serving a 12-year term for weapons and conspiracy to commit robbery.

Holloman was on parole for an aggravated robbery conviction when Smallwood was killed.